evading the inevitable
by arianabananah
Summary: a two shot of the day prior to the 74th Reaping in District 11.


**Hey! small two shot I guess **

**DISCLAIMER: I obviously don't own any of the Hunger Games and I'm not Suzanne Collins, if I was I could have met Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence and I'd also be stinkin rich but that my dear readers would be awesome.**

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Today was a long and hard day but not to mention hot. I was in the trees the entire day sweating off any of the water I had consumed in the past two days. I got about most of one tree cleared up, it's really tiring since the peacekeepers never give me better tools to use. I have to use my hands, and they only provide a bucket and an old pair of Secateurs but regardless I get a lot of work done by myself. Sometimes one other girl Samantha, a couple of years older than I joins me if she can but it's no use, if she gets too high she gets anxiety attacks and starts hyperventilating. I need to get my work done as I get 'paid' the amount I produce but when she gets a bit too loud I climb down to help her, I don't want the peacekeepers to come and take her away because she is, after all my only company during the working day, so I let her stay with me.

I don't know why she does this though, but I guess she feels sorry for me and wants to give me some help, we talk sometimes if the Peacekeepers aren't around watching our every move. She's one of the few friends I have and a friend is never a bad thing to have, but sometimes it could be. It's always in times like this, people are a bit nicer, kinder because they too have been in my position before.

it's my first year that I'm eligible in the reaping, I'm really nervous but my name is only in there once so… the odds are in my favour, right? My older brother on the other hand, is in there maybe fifty times or more, he takes tessera just like many of the big families in our District. I wish he didn't, but I know now that it's essential for our survival.

It's his last year in the reaping, but that gives no relief to my parents, because this is my first year, even though I'm in there once, you never know. The odds aren't exactly in any ones favour when it comes down to it. I get on with my work but as soon as I come to, I see workers in the distance beginning to leave their stations and walk away towards the large barn where we drop off our days' work and head off home. The sirens aren't too good down on the far side of the crops, so they use me as look out.

"I'm quick just as I am small, I'm fast but silent as the night" my mother would tell me

I use a four note tune and sing it to the Mockingjays, to signal the end of the day. There is a silent pause for a few seconds but then the birds sing the tune right back, one sings it to me, then later more and more until the beautiful melody rings through the air. All throught the southern wing of the fields heads perk up, smiles gracing their faces as they release sighs of relief that this long and gruelling day is over.

I climb down from the top of the tree sure that everyone has heard the call. As I look down I see that Sam is far below already on her way, when I get down on the ground and start walking I realise I half way to the barn that left my bucket up in the nook half way up the tree.

"OH NO!"

As I'm the only worker who could possibly reach the tree tops by climbing it takes a long time to reach back to the barn meaning that I'm always one of the last people to leave before the gates shut close for the night but I am already half way there. I run and sprint to the tree to the tree and I climb as fast as I can, careful not to step on the weak branches before I reach my destination.

The weight of all the fruits I had gathered weigh a lot and it proves a mighty effort to reach the ground but once I do I thank my brother giving me the gift of two small wheels he attached to my basket, if it were not for these, I would most definitely be doomed.

I start sprinting down the small path, worn with years of workers walking on have made, their heavy foot falls that were slow in the early mornings and tired, yet elated in the late day. I begin to panic, tears pouring out of my eyes at this point, thinking that I won't make it. I run faster and faster scared as if my life depended on it, because, it does.

The peacekeepers on night watch monitor the heat sensors set around the fields, automatically switched on after the end of the day which is usually when the sun is setting, but when the sensors pick up on something whether it be small or large in size they let the beasts run wild.

Capitol creations of course, a crude stretch and manipulation of both science and nature Mutations the capitol created.; They're not big but small, breed like there is no tomorrow, they have sharp teeth that can rip through your flesh with ease, their sight and smell enhanced so that they'll lock onto your scent in a matter of seconds. Whether your close to they're their pen or on the far side of crop fields.

It is a certain death if you don't cross the door in time.

The Peacekeepers think we try to steal food, even though we are a district specializing in agriculture, food is still scarce, even for us hard workers. Some used to, ones whom could not afford to feed their family, let alone themselves. Something mall one day, maybe two things the next, only small food items so it would go unnoticed.

But then they installed camera security and brought in the mutts. Stealing is a crime punishable by whipping or death and makes you watch, to build the fear that you might not have already had. But gladly no one does anymore as it's virtually impossible, but they're still paranoid. Whatever the sensors do pick up on will be the odd rabbit, the mutts are just as hungry as we are because they starve them, which make them more eager for the kill.

The peacekeepers on night watch monitor the heat sensors set around the fields, automatically switched on after the end of the day which is usually when the sun is setting, but when the sensors pick up on something whether it be small or large in size they let the beasts run wild.

Capitol creations of course, a crude stretch and manipulation of both science and nature Mutations the capitol created.; They're not big but small, breed like there is no tomorrow, they have sharp teeth that can rip through your flesh with ease, their sight and smell enhanced so that they'll lock onto your scent in a matter of seconds. Whether your close to they're their pen or on the far side of crop fields.

It is a certain death if you don't cross the door in time.

The Peacekeepers think we try to steal food, even though we are a district specializing in agriculture, food is still scarce, even for us hard workers. Some used to, ones whom could not afford to feed their family, let alone themselves. Something mall one day, maybe two things the next, only small food items so it would go unnoticed.

But then they installed camera security and brought in the mutts. Stealing is a crime punishable by whipping or death and makes you watch, to build the fear that you might not have already had. But gladly no one does anymore as it's virtually impossible, but they're still paranoid. Whatever the sensors do pick up on will be the odd rabbit, the mutts are just as hungry as we are because they starve them, which make them more eager for the kill.

I reach the opening where the grape vines end and give way to the veggie patches and my sights clear slightly as I see the large automatic doors of the barn, still a long way away in the field, no human force could stop them, not even one hundred of the strongest workers. But even if they were still lingering in the food drop off, I would be dead.

I just get there in time, the doors were just open enough for me to hurl my basket in and skim through. But as I do I collapse into my brothers arms and cry, he must have tried stalling the guards. He must have noticed I wasn't catching up to him as he walked off with his friends all the way home.

"It's okay Rue, you made it, it's ok, we can go home now" he says in a soft gentle tone as he holds me close. They still fall as I choke on my breath. I'm fine, I'm alive. In the blur of my sight I notice one of my brothers friends picking up some of the food that had fallen over from my basket and deposit it at the drop off.

My face is all puffy on our way home, my nose red and wet as he carries me. As I'm still a bit shaken of what could have happened he puts me down, I'm a bit weak from all the crying but I'm ok now. He asks me what happened in a concerned tone, and I explained it all to him, it was a close shot, I know, if it wasn't for him noticing my absence, things would have been much worse. But at this point, it doesn't really matter because I could have been dead today, what is the difference for a couple of weeks? Either way, my death would have been gruesome. Careers would have made sure of that.

The rest of the walk home was very quiet, neither one of us wanted to break the silence. My brothers friends home is only two houses away from ours so he and my brother, as you can imagine, grew very close over the years. He says goodbye to the two of us. "See you tomorrow" I reply in between small sobs and a smile. He looks back with a small grin and waves at me "see you little girl" he opens the door and enters his house.

The rest of the night was full of tight hugs and tears from my mother, and just my father looking at me the whole time, didn't say a word with an intense yet loving gaze. But under the circumstances, you couldn't blame him, or my mother for their reactions, this could have happened either way but they were probably not quite ready; this would just be a small portion of what could have been.

We try to celebrate that I made it home but we are constantly reminded about tomorrow because it is on everyone's minds.

I was so close to evading death today and yet another threat looms tomorrow.

I help put my younger siblings to bed and tidy up the mess of dinner and fall into my cot and nod off into a long but not easy sleep.

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**(will be continued in next chapter)**

**PS. is anyone else's life being ruled by fanfiction? gosh I love this site**


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